1. Hello listening friends.
亲爱的朋友，你好。
2. It is a joy to know that you are there listening to this program.
很高兴知道你收听这个节目，
3. And we are always glad to hear from you.
而且我们也很乐意收到你的来信。
4. We are in the midst of a series of messages on the life of Abraham.
我们正在讲一系列关于亚伯拉罕生平的信息。
5. And in our last broadcast, we left Abraham struggling with the message from God.
上次节目结束的时候，我们谈到亚伯拉罕为着神对他说的话，内心有所挣扎。
6. That Isaac will be born to him and Sarah
神对他说，他和撒拉要生一个儿子，就是艾萨克。
7. Abraham’s own plans were not God’s promises.
亚伯拉罕的计划和神的应许并不一致。
8. Now Abraham has learned that his 90-year-old wife is going to bear a son to would be the fulfillment of God’s promise.
现在亚伯拉罕听神说，他那九十岁的妻子，将要按着神所应许的为他生一个儿子。
9. Sarah was a Godly woman and a good wife to Abraham.
撒拉是一位虔诚信神的妇女，也是亚伯拉罕的好妻子。
10. God was going to use Sarah, a woman, to fulfill his promise to Abraham.
神将要用撒拉这位女士，来成全祂对亚伯拉罕的应许。
11. In the past broadcasts, we have seen that after 13 years of spiritual stagnation.
在前几次的节目里，我们看到经过十三年灵性的停滞不前，
12. Abraham and Sarah get revived and energized by El Shaddai.
全能的神亲自复兴亚伯拉罕和撒拉，并且激励他们。
13. In chapter 18 verses 1 to 5.
在创世记十八章一到五节里，
14. The Lord appears to Abraham with two angels on each side.
耶和华和两位天使一同向亚伯拉罕显现。
15. The Lord's appearance here is different from the previous times.
耶和华这次的显现，和以前几次有所不同。
16. He did not come to Abraham in a dream.
祂不是在梦中向亚伯拉罕显现。
17. He did not come to him materialized as El Shaddai.
也不是向亚伯拉罕彰显祂是全能神。
18. But the pre-incarnate Jesus Christ came to him in person.
这次亲自向亚伯拉罕显现的，其实是尚未道成肉身降生世界的耶稣基督。
19. Abraham recognizes immediately that they were not ordinary human beings...
亚伯拉罕立刻就认出他们不是一般的人，
20. so in an act of worship Abraham bows down.
因此亚伯拉罕俯伏在地拜他们。
21. As if to say, “My Lord you know me... I am Abraham...
似乎是说：“神啊！你认识我，我是亚伯拉罕啊！
22. and if you are pleased with me... I want you to stop by my place.”
如果我在你眼前蒙恩，希望你能在我这里留下。”
23. Abraham was longing for the Lord's company...
亚伯拉罕渴望神的同在。
24. and with typical ancient hospitality he washed their feet and prepared them food.
照着古代传统的待客之道，他替他们洗脚，并且为他们预备了食物。
25. In Verses 6, 7, and 8 Abraham rushes into the tent and shares his excitement with Sarah...
在第六、第七、第八节这里，我们看到亚伯拉罕急忙跑进帐棚，很兴奋地对撒拉说：
26. “Quick prepare three measures of fine flour, kneed it, and make bread.”
“你速速拿三细亚细面调和做饼。”
27. The Bible says Sarah immediately sprang into action.
圣经说撒拉立刻就去做。
28. Now, I am not advising you husbands to habitually bring visitors unannounced to your wife night after night.
我并不是建议你们身为丈夫的，可以习惯性的不预先通知妻子，天天把客人带回家来。
29. But I know that when the occasion presents itself . . . it becomes an opportunity for wives to manifest their spirituality.
但我知道，当偶尔发生这种情形时，就会成为妻子表现她灵性修养的好机会。
30. I try to imagine old Abraham running into the tent... “Sarah, rustle up some food... these are no ordinary visitors.”
我试着去想象老亚伯拉罕跑进了帐棚说：“撒拉，这些不是普通的客人，赶快去弄点吃的。”
31. And Sarah beautifully... and graciously responds.
撒拉优雅大方地响应了他丈夫的要求。
32. If she had been one of these modern day women... she would have exploded like a faulty pressure cooker.
如果撒拉是一位现代女性的话，她可能会像一个有毛病的压力锅那样爆炸了。
33. But she acted with graciousness and hospitality.
但是她表现得既有风度又热情的款待。
34. No wonder the Apostle Peter in I Peter 3 chooses Sarah... over all the other women in the Old Testament... as an illustration of how to be a godly wife.
难怪使徒彼得在彼得前书第三章，从所有旧约中的妇女里，选择了撒拉作为一个敬虔妻子的模范。
35. Now, she was not perfect...
当然，撒拉并不是完美的，
36. nor was Abraham...
亚伯拉罕也不是。
37. but with amazing resilience... she showed strength of character under the pressure of the unexpected.
然而在这种预料不到的压力下，撒拉表现出乐观豁达的性格。
38. Sarah was gracious and hospitable... so was Abraham.
撒拉非常好客，亚伯拉罕也是一样。
39. He did not just sit and put his feet up... letting Sarah do all the work...
他并没有光坐着翘起二郎腿，而让撒拉一个人去忙。
40. No.
他没有。
41. After washing their feet... he ran to his herd and he chose the best of his cattle and gave it to his servants to prepare for the honored guests.
在替这些贵宾洗完了脚以后，他又跑到牛群里，选了一只最好的牛犊，交给仆人预备菜肴。
42. In verses 9 to 12 the Lord asked for Sarah by name.
在第九到十二节这一段里，神指名道姓的问撒拉在那里。
43. Listening friends, I want to tell you something very important.
亲爱的朋友，我要告诉你一件很重要的事。
44. Christ always calls you by name.
基督知道你的名字，祂认识你。
45. Do you know that Jesus always calls you by name?
你知不知道耶稣一向都认识你，直呼你的名字呢？
46. Jesus called Zaccheus by name... to come down from the tree top.
耶稣叫得出撒该的名字，要他从树上下来。
47. He called Nathaniel by name...
耶稣叫得出拿但业的名字，
48. and he knew him before he saw him.
耶稣在还没有看到拿但业之前就已认识他。
49. He told the Samaritan woman all about her past...
耶稣对那撒玛利亚的妇人说出她过去一切，
50. He knew her by name.
耶稣知道撒玛利亚妇人的名字。
51. All things are known to Him.
耶稣知道所有的事。
52. So in Verse 10, The Lord repeats the promise of the coming son by Sarah.
在第十节里，神又重复了撒拉必生一个儿子的应许。
53. Some of you may say, “wait a minute... why is the Lord repeating himself...
你或许会问：“等等，神为什么要重复祂说过的话呢？
54. he already told Abraham in chapter 17 that he will have a son.”
在第十七章里，祂不是已经告诉了亚伯拉罕他会有一个儿子吗？”
55. Ah, you see, Abraham knew about it... but he did not told Sarah.
不错，亚伯拉罕早知道这件事了，但是他没有告诉撒拉。
56. And the Lord knew that Sarah was eaves dropping in the inner tent,
而且神也知道，这时撒拉正在帐棚里偷听他们的谈话，
57. and he wanted to make sure that she heard it.
祂就是要让撒拉听见这件事。
58. in Chapter 17 God prepared Abraham for the promised blessing...
在十七章那里，神预备亚伯拉罕的心，来接受这应许的福分，
59. but Abraham did not rush home and break the news to Sarah.
但是亚伯拉罕并没有赶紧回家，把这个消息告诉撒拉。
60. So, in Genesis 18, therefore, the Lord prepares Sarah for that news.
因此在创世记第十八章里，神预备撒拉的心，来接受这个消息。
61. In Verse 12, she could not fathom what she had just heard.
第十二节，撒拉简直无法理解她所听到的。
62. Can you picture someone who is 99 years of age walking into the house and calls his 90-year-old wife and says, “Guess what... we are going to have a baby.”
你能不能想象一个九十九岁的老头，回到家里对他九十岁的妻子说：“你知道怎么着，我们将要生一个孩子了。”
63. It is probably enough to give her a heart attack.
这句话足以叫他的妻子心脏病发作。
64. But instead of a heart attack... Sarah laughed to herself in the kitchen.
不过撒拉倒没有心脏病发作，而是自个儿在厨房里偷笑。
65. She did not think that anyone would know about this,
撒拉认为不会有人知道这件事的，
66. But the Lord did.
但是神知道。
67. But also notice that the Lord does not rebuke Sarah for laughing.
请注意，神并没有责备撒拉的暗笑，
68. Instead of rebuking Sarah, the Lord asks Abraham why Sarah is laughing.
神非但没有责备撒拉，反而问亚伯拉罕，撒拉为什么暗笑。
69. I think this is a rebuke for Abraham for not passing the news onto his wife.
我认为神这是在责备亚伯拉罕，没有把消息告诉他的妻子。
70. In V. 14 listen to what the Lord said,
听听神在第十四节里怎么说，
71. “Is anything too hard for the LORD?...”(Gen 18:14 NIV)
耶和华岂有难成的事么？
72. James tells us if we are asking and not receiving;
雅各布布布告诉我们，我们求也得不着，
73. It is because we ask wrongly.
是因为我们妄求。
74. It is because we ask selfishly.
因为我们求得自私。
75. It is because we ask ignorantly.
因为我们求得无知。
76. “Is anything too difficult for the Lord?”
耶和华岂有难成的事么？
77. The answer is no!
答案是“没有”！
78. It is we... who need to learn the lesson of knowing what to do with what He gives us.
然而我们要学习，明白神到底赐给我们什么，我们该如何去做。
79. In the book of Numbers, God says to Moses,
在民数记里，神对摩西说，
80. “Is the Lord's power limited?”
“神的能力是有限的吗？”
81. Jeremiah said to the Lord; “Nothing is too difficult for you.”
耶利米对神说：“在你没有难成的事。”
82. In Luke 1:37 the angel Gabriel told the virgin Mary of coming pregnancy with these words,
在路加福音第一章卅七节，天使加百列告诉童贞女马利亚她将要怀孕的时候说：
83. “For nothing will be impossible with God.”
“因为出于神的话，没有一句不带能力的。”
84. Let’s get back to the book of Genesis.
让我们再回到创世记，
85. In verse 15 of chapter 18,
十八章的十五节，
86. “Sarah was afraid and so she lied and said ‘I didn’t laugh’ and he said, ‘yes you did laugh’”
撒拉就害怕，不承认，说：“我没有笑。”那位说：“不然，你实在笑了。”
87. Out of fear Sarah denies her laughter...
撒拉因着害怕就不承认她笑过，
88. but as a result of her encounter with the Lord... Sarah became a woman of faith.
但由于她曾经面对神的缘故，撒拉成为一位有信心的妇女。
89. And in Hebrews chapter 11 verse 11 tells us that she was a woman of faith.
希伯来书十一章十一节就告诉我们，撒拉是一位有信心的妇女。
90. In Genesis 18: 16 to 19,
在创世记十八章十六到十九节，
91. we see a beautiful picture of Abraham walking with the Lord,
我们看到亚伯拉罕与神同行的一幅美丽的图画，
92. communion with the Lord,
他与神交谈，
93. fellowshipping with the Lord,
他与神相处，
94. communicating on a deep level with the Lord.
他与神有深入的沟通。
95. My listening friend, as I conclude I want to ask you several questions.
亲爱的朋友，在我结束之前我想问你几个问题，
96. Do you take time to commune with God?
你有没有花时间与神交谈呢？
97. Do you take time to hear the voice of God?
你有没有花时间聆听神的声音呢？
98. Or, do you get so busy that your fellowship with God takes less and less time?
或者因为你太忙了，以至于你与神相处的时间越来越少呢？
99. Until, you become spiritually dry.
直到有一天你的灵性枯干了。
100. Then, when you get into trouble, you say: “why has God forsaken me?”
你遇到麻烦的事，你说：“神为什么撇弃我呢？”
101. In reality, it is you who have forsaken Him by ceasing to daily fellowship with Him.
事实上，是因着你不再每天与神共处而远离了祂。
102. Will you come back to Him today?
你愿意今天就回到神的面前吗？
103. Will you say to Him, “Lord, I am sorry that I have forsaken my time with you.”
你愿意对祂说，“主啊，对不起，是我放弃了与你在一起的时间。”
104. “Lord, forgive me my negligence of communing with you.”
“主啊，赦免我疏忽了与你相处的时刻。”
105. “Help me to make my walking daily with you to be the priority of my life.
“帮助我，以每天与你同行，为我生命中的首要事情。”
106. and if you’ve made that decision, write and tell us.
如果你作了这个决定，请你写信告诉我们。
107. In our next program, we will see the benefits of daily walking with God.
在下次的节目当中，我们要看看每天与神同行的好处。
108. God will reveal to you His secrets when you commune with Him.
当你与神心灵相通时，神会把祂的奥秘向你显明的。
109. So until then, I wish you God’s richest blessings
愿神大大的赐福给你，我们下次再见。
